Napolitano cool toward GOP immigration bill for state

By PAUL DAVENPORT
Associated Press Writer

PHOENIX (AP) -- Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano called months ago for state lawmakers to bolster border security, but now says the Republican-led Legislature's push to pass a sweeping bill is off the mark because federal lawmakers and President Bush finally appear to be acting.

The bill passed the Senate on Tuesday and awaited a House vote, though key lawmakers said possible changes were under consideration.

Napolitano said that legislators should have paused their consideration of the bill to review actions being taken at the federal level. Those include Bush's decision to deploy thousands of National Guard troops to support the Border Patrol along the U.S. Mexico border and Congress' consideration of federal immigration legislation.

In her State of the State address in January, Napolitano had cited federal inaction as a reason why the state should take its own action to crack down on illegal immigration and other border-related crime.